Questions! Wirewrap ends and strange beads

[Kalorlo]

I made these earrings with some lovely 12mm tigerseye rounds I got from Harrow and 0.8mm brass wire (next time I probably want to make the earwires a bit thinner... they're wearable for me fine but it was a little disconcerting putting them in the first time!).



The question's about the second pic - as you can see, when I was wrapping the very end of the wire above the bead, it went flat against the wire being wrapped instead of coiling round it, and because it was so close to the bead I couldn't get my pliers in to push it back up. I've had this problem before, particularly with thicker and stiffer wire - is there a way to avoid it? When I got right to that end I was needing quite a bit of force to bend the wire at all, and it went the wrong way!

My other question is about these beads I picked up from a stall selling various old and vintage beads. I'm fairly certain they're glass - they look and feel like it, and they have some chips and dents. I've never seen anything quite like them before, but on the other hand I haven't been looking! Anyone know anything about this style of bead?

[bustagasket]

I made these earrings with some lovely 12mm tigerseye rounds I got from Harrow and 0.8mm brass wire (next time I probably want to make the earwires a bit thinner... they're wearable for me fine but it was a little disconcerting putting them in the first time!).



The question's about the second pic - as you can see, when I was wrapping the very end of the wire above the bead, it went flat against the wire being wrapped instead of coiling round it, and because it was so close to the bead I couldn't get my pliers in to push it back up. I've had this problem before, particularly with thicker and stiffer wire - is there a way to avoid it? When I got right to that end I was needing quite a bit of force to bend the wire at all, and it went the wrong way!

To stop the wire gettin away from you you must make sure that you are wrapping straight, keep the base wire horizontal to you and make sure the the piece you are wrapping with is completely vertical at all times. At least thats what i was taught and how i have done all mine. And then when you get the the end bit you can just nip it down with the pliers.

Hope that will help, i done know much but i have done a lot of wrapping lol

[Di Sandland]

I'm not sure, Heather, but I think those beads might be Lucite?

[agent_44]

I'm not sure abouthe beads either, Lucite sounds reasonable though!

With your wrapping, it's important to pull the wire in the direction that you want it to sit as you wrap it. With the earrings in the photo, try twaking the sticky out wire up as much as you can with some chain nose pliers, or failing that file any pointy bits down wit a needle file.

[Di Sandland]

Some vintage Lucite, showing the variations that were available - some of which were incredibly glass-like

[Petal]

"The question's about the second pic - as you can see, when I was wrapping the very end of the wire above the bead, it went flat against the wire being wrapped instead of coiling round it, and because it was so close to the bead I couldn't get my pliers in to push it back up. I've had this problem before, particularly with thicker and stiffer wire - is there a way to avoid it? When I got right to that end I was needing quite a bit of force to bend the wire at all, and it went the wrong way! "

Ah you should have a look at Boo's tutorials, they are excellent on wire wrapping and I have definitely improved from when I first started. Here's her link Boo's Jewellery: wire wrapping

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

x

[Kalorlo]

Ooh, interesting. They feel rather heavy for plastic beads, but I will investigate!

Lucinda: I'll try prodding them again - I can barely get the nose of my pliers in there, though. I'm fine until I get little short ends that need bending round. At that point they become very difficult to move